Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bill Banning 20-Week Abortions Sails Through House, But Faces Likely Demise In Senate
The Associated Press: House Approves GOP Bill Outlawing Most Late-Term Abortions
Most late-term abortions would be outlawed under legislation Republicans pushed through the House on Tuesday, a major priority of the GOP and conservative groups that won't reach an eager President Donald Trump because it faces certain Senate defeat. The House approved the measure by a near party-line 237-189 vote. Though the bill's fate is sealed, the push for abortion restrictions remains a touchstone issue for most Republicans, even as the party splinters between traditionalist conservatives and anti-establishment voters looking to roil Washington. (10/3)
The Washington Post: With Trump’s Backing, House Approves Ban On Abortion After 20 Weeks Of Pregnancy
The bill, known as the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, is not expected to emerge from the Senate, where most Democrats and a handful of moderate Republicans can block its consideration. But antiabortion activists are calling President Trump’s endorsement of the bill a significant advance for their movement. The White House said in a statement released Monday that the administration “strongly supports” the legislation “and applauds the House of Representatives for continuing its efforts to secure critical pro-life protections.” (DeBonis and Johnson, 10/3)
Stat: House Passes 20-Week Abortion Ban, As GOP Proponents Cite 'Fetal Pain'
The co-chairs of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), along with Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), said in a statement the ban “endangers women, interferes with their private health care decisions, and marginalizes sexual assault victims while also being blatantly unconstitutional.” Ninety-nine percent of abortions already take place before 21 weeks, according to Planned Parenthood. (Facher, 10/3)
The Hill: House Passes 20-Week Abortion Ban
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), would make it a crime to perform or attempt an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, with the possibility of a fine, up to five years in prison or both. (Hellmann, 10/3)
NPR: For Many Women The Nearest Abortion Provider Is Many Miles Away
There's a clinic that's right in Kelsey's town of Sioux Falls, S.D., that performs abortions, but she still drove hours away to get one. Back in 2015, she was going through a difficult time — recently laid off, had to move suddenly, helping a close family member through some personal struggles — when she found out she was also pregnant. (McCammon, 10/3)
The Associated Press: Planned Parenthood Seeks Halt To Arkansas Abortion Pill Law
Planned Parenthood asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to prevent Arkansas from enforcing restrictions on how the abortion pill is administered while the organization asks the nation's highest court to review a ruling in favor of the new limits. Planned Parenthood Great Plains asked the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to not allow its ruling in favor of the restrictions to take effect yet. (10/3)
The Associated Press: ACLU Sues To Challenge FDA Limits On Access To Abortion Pill
The American Civil Liberties Union sued Tuesday in a challenge to federal restrictions that limit many women's access to the so-called abortion pill. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Hawaii, targets long-standing restrictions imposed by the Food and Drug Administration that say the pill, marketed in the U.S. as Mifeprex, can be dispensed only in clinics, hospitals and doctors' offices. The lawsuit contends the drug — used for abortions up to 10 weeks of pregnancy — should be made available by prescription in pharmacies across the U.S. (10/3)
The Hill: ACLU Sues FDA Over Abortion Pill Restrictions
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), challenging federal restrictions they argue "significantly" limit access to abortion pills. Currently, a prescription for the abortion pill Mifeprex cannot be filled at a retail pharmacy. (Hellmann, 10/3)
The Associated Press: Court Ruling Favors Planned Parenthood In Missouri
A federal appeals court ruling has opened the door for Planned Parenthood to pursue abortion licenses in more areas of Missouri. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday lifted a temporary stay that had allowed the state to continue enforcing certain abortion requirements while appealing a lower court's ruling that the requirements infringed on women's abortion rights. The appeals court didn't explain its decision. (10/3)
KCUR: On Same Day Court Blocks Missouri Abortion Restrictions, State Says It Will Impose Another
The same day a federal appeals court overruled itself and voted to block two Missouri abortion restrictions, the state advised Missouri abortion providers that they will have to abide by a new restriction. A memo dated Oct. 2 from the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) says the agency will file emergency rules on Oct. 24 establishing standards for “complication plans” for medication-induced abortions. (Margolies, 10/3)
The New York Times: Anti-Abortion Congressman Asked Woman To Have One, Report Says
Representative Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, a strong and frequent critic of abortion, asked a woman with whom he was having an affair to undergo an abortion, according to a report published on Tuesday by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Mr. Murphy, 65, who is married with an adult daughter, confirmed last month that he “became involved in an affair with a personal friend,” according to a statement previously provided to The Post-Gazette. (Stevens, 10/3)
